Before the Dawn (Truly Yours Digital Editions) (12 page)

The kiss went straight to his head, familiar and unknown all at the same time. Softer than her velvet cloak, warmer than a fireside in winter, more comforting than an embrace, and more exciting than a runaway train. He was transported, carried out of his misery into a peaceful place where only they existed. He freed her lips and trailed feathery kisses along her jaw and temple, trying to catch his breath.

Then he opened his eyes, fully expecting to see her face, to see the love shining there.

Darkness.

Reality doused him like ice water. He eased back, swallowing, trying to moisten his suddenly dry mouth. His defenses had lowered for only a moment, and he’d been swept away. Doubts swamped him, and all the reasons he needed to keep her at arm’s length surged back.

“David?” She leaned into him again and cupped his cheek.

He captured her hand and set it in her lap. “No. No more. You don’t know what you’re doing.”

“I know that I love you. I know that we’re married.” She cupped his cheek again.

He reached up and took her hand, placing it in her lap once more. “No, Karen.” He turned away from her and tried to gather his scattered wits. How would he survive when she left him? One kiss and he was undone.

ELEVEN

The carriage lurched to a halt, and Karen wiped her damp cheeks, gathering her cloak around her.

David helped her descend from the carriage but released her hand quickly.

The clock in the parlor chimed as they entered.

Buckford held the door, taking their outer wraps as they shed them. His keen eyes searched her face, and she gave him a rather watery smile and a small shrug. He pursed his mouth and leveled a stare at David, shaking his head.

“Sir, you have a visitor in the parlor. She insisted on waiting, though I told her you’d be quite late.”

“A visitor? At this hour?” David stopped on the bottom stair, one hand on the newel post.

“A Mrs. Patrick Doolin. She said she’d come all the way from Martin City and had to see you tonight.”

David flinched. His shoulders slumped, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

“David? Who is Mrs. Doolin? Do you know her?”

“We’ve met. Her husband used to work for Mackenzie Mining. He died in the cave-in.”

The breath Karen took skidded in her throat. Still rocking from his kiss and being pushed away, she had no strength left for a visitor, especially one with a grievance against the Mackenzies. But what else could they do? “Thank you, Buckford. David, let’s get this over with.”

Buckford had stirred up the fire, and a tea tray sat on a low table beside the woman. Dressed in black from head to foot, her brown hair streaked with gray, she had a careworn and lined face.

“Mrs. Doolin? I’m Karen Mackenzie. I’m sorry you had to wait so long.” Karen held out her hand.

Like a bird, the woman hopped out of the chair and bobbed her head. “I’m the one who should be apologizing, barging in on you. I’ll be real quick-like and leave you in peace.” Her brogue was as thick as Irish stew. The woman’s black, lively eyes darted a look over Karen’s shoulder to David. “Mr. Mackenzie, ’tis me, Maggie Doolin.”

“Mrs. Doolin.” David inched forward until his hand brushed the edge of the desk. Deep lines formed on his forehead, the flickering firelight accenting the creases.

“Please, Mrs. Doolin, do sit down. What is it you’ve come to talk to my husband about?” Karen took the chair next to their visitor’s.

David leaned against the edge of the desk and crossed his arms as if bracing himself for a barrage.

The lines on Mrs. Doolin’s face spoke of years of hardship, but peace shone from her dark eyes. Her fingers kept up constant motion, picking at a thread, tapping her lap, never still. “I’m on me way back East, and I had something to say to my late husband’s boss. I should have come before, but I was making ready to return to me family. Me oldest boy lives in Boston. He’s asked me to come to him now that I’m alone.”

Karen leaned forward. “We’re so sorry for your loss.”

“Aye, lass, I know you are. ’Tis a terrible thing for the women, isn’t it, waiting to see if our men will come back out of the earth when they search for buried treasures? You haven’t escaped the sorrow yourself. I’m that sorry about Mr. Mackenzie’s eyes. My Paddy thought the world of Mr. Mackenzie, he did. And he was that proud of his dynamiting. An artist he was. The best powder monkey in the silver fields.” She dug a handkerchief out of her sleeve, using it to wipe the corners of her eyes. After a moment, she gathered herself. “ ’Twas about Paddy I’ve come, Mr. Mackenzie.”

David grimaced. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Doolin. I hope you can believe that. I have no excuses to offer. The structure I designed failed in some way. I know there’s no recompense I can make that will replace what you’ve lost, but I do hope you understand that you will be provided for. You’ve spoken to my father or brother?”

“Oh, now, don’tcha be worried, sir. I didn’t come to bother you. Paddy wouldn’t have blamed you, and neither do I. Your family’s been very generous. Your lady-mother herself came to see me. I’ve no quarrel with Mackenzie Mining. I came to tell you what Paddy said to me afore he died. He lingered two days after they dug him out of the rubble. The doc couldn’t do anything for his broken back, though ’twas God’s mercy my Paddy could feel no pain. When he knew he was dying, he held my hand that hard and made me promise on me mother’s grave I’d tell you his last words.”

David’s knuckles showed white.

Karen wanted to go to him, to put her arms around him and offer some comfort, but she couldn’t bear to be rebuffed in front of a guest.

“What is it your husband wanted to tell me?”

“Paddy was pretty far gone, so I don’t know if I heard him right, but he said, ‘Tell David about the coyotes. He’ll know what to do.’ I think he was out of his head.” She shrugged. “It didn’t seem important at the time, what with you being taken down in the same cave-in. I couldn’t be bothering you about wild beasts with you hurt in bed at the time.”

David rubbed his palms down his cheeks. “Were you having trouble with coyotes in the mining camp?”

“ We had some trouble a while back with a pack digging through the rubbish heap and killing some chickens, but Paddy took his rifle and cleared them out.”

“Has anyone else reported trouble?”

“Nay. Paddy said to tell you and no other. The poor man was agitated about it, mixing things up in his mind. No doubt he was thinking back to the bit o’ trouble with the pesky creatures and worried they might return. I don’t know why he wanted me to tell you, but he did, and I have.” She levered her hands on her knees and rose. “Me duty’s done with the telling. I’ll be heading to the rooming house. It’s getting terrible late, and me train leaves at seven.”

Karen walked the older woman to the door. “You’re sure you don’t need anything? You have enough money?”

“ ’Tis a good lady you are, Mrs. Mackenzie. I have more than enough. Your husband’s family has seen to that. I’ve plenty to get home on. I’ll be praying for you and the mister. Such a sorrow about his eyes, and him such a fine gentleman.”

“Thank you. You will be careful getting to your rooming house, won’t you?”

Buckford cleared his throat behind them. “Perhaps I could escort your guest to her rooming house?”

“That’s very thoughtful of you. Thank you.”

Karen closed the door behind them. Had the visit done more harm than good? Mrs. Doolin’s words made no sense, and yet, Paddy Doolin had used practically his dying breath to implore her to get his message to David. What could varmints possibly have to do with the accident? Nothing, that’s what. As she said, the man was out of his head.

A pile of letters on the hall table caught her eye. She sorted through them, bills and accounts, the newspaper, circulars, and personal correspondence. Perhaps David would like her to read the newspaper to him before bedtime.

Aunt Hattie would be scandalized if she knew Karen read the newspaper. Speaking of Aunt Hattie, a fat letter from her lay at the bottom of the stack. Karen scooped up the paper and the letter and returned to the parlor.

David sat before the fireplace, his face in his hands. When she took the chair across from him, he sat up and sighed. “She’s gone then?”

“Yes, Buckford is seeing her to the rooming house. Did you know her husband well?”

“Paddy Doolin was the best dynamiter in Martin City. Every mining engineer in the Rockies tried to pinch him from us. A giant of a man and as capable as they come, always smiling and laughing. I can’t think why he’d want to tell me about a problem he’d taken care of himself.”

“More likely he wasn’t in his right senses.”

David thought on this. “That could explain it. Or maybe she misunderstood.” He smacked his thigh with his fist. “I thought maybe she had a clue for me, something that Paddy knew that would tell me why the shaft collapsed—Something to tell me what I did wrong.”

“Isn’t it possible that it isn’t anyone’s fault?”

He shook his head. “Something caused that cave-in. Marcus is supposed to be looking into it, but I haven’t heard anything from him.” His feet shifted, and he pounded his leg again. “Though if he finds something that shows I was at fault, I don’t know if he would tell me.”

She needed to change the subject, give David something else to think about before bedtime. “I sorted the mail.” She tugged at her bottom lip. “The evening paper arrived while we were out. Would you like me to read to you?”

“No, thank you.”

She swallowed her disappointment. “There’s a letter from Aunt Hattie, too.” Slipping a hairpin from her coiled hair, Karen slit the envelope and withdrew the closely written pages. She tilted the paper toward the fireplace and scanned the first page. A wave of homesickness sloshed over her, and a lump formed in her throat.

“David, she’s invited us for Christmas.” A smile stretched her lips. “Wouldn’t that be wonderful? I miss her so much. When she got sick, I was so afraid. She’s the only one I have left from my family. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” She turned the page. “Listen to this:

You and David could make a visit here part of your honeymoon trip. We could spend the holidays together. It would be like old times to have you with me. I get so lonely for you at Christmas. I remember how you love everything about this time of year. Even if you could only come for a week or two, it would make me so happy. I’d travel to see you, but the doctor is advising against it at the moment, the old fusspot. I think he’s planning to send his children to college on the fees he collects from me. Anyway, do say you’ll come.
”

Karen lowered the letter. “David, Christmas in Kansas City, won’t that be fun? I’m not sure where the time has gotten to. It’s only two weeks until the twenty-fifth. I’ll have to do some shopping and see about tickets.”

“Karen, stop.”

“But there’s so much to see to. I should start making a list, so I don’t forget anything.” She bounded out of the chair and headed for the desk to find a pencil. What a blessing it would be to talk face-to-face with her aunt. Christmas with family. Her eyes grew misty at the thought.

“Karen.”

His voice was so sharp, she stopped with the drawer only half open. “What?”

“I’m not going to Kansas City.”

Her mouth fell open. “But. . .” She blinked, her heart tum-bling into her shoes. “It’s Aunt Hattie.”

“I’m not going to Kansas City for Christmas. I’m not going to Martin City for Christmas. I’m not going anywhere for Christmas.”

“But you went out tonight and everything went fine.” Except for the way their kiss ended. She touched her lips, remembering the bliss of being in his arms. “And Aunt Hattie won’t judge or make you uncomfortable. You’ve never met a kinder soul. She’ll love you. I wanted you to meet her at the wedding.” Her voice hitched. “The doctor told her she’d be well enough to travel by early summer when we originally planned to marry. Since we moved up the wedding date and she wasn’t able to come, this will be the perfect solution. It shouldn’t interrupt your studies too much. We’ll be back in less than a month. Two weeks if that is all you can spare.”

“You’re not listening to me.” His hands fisted and relaxed, only to fist again. “I am not traveling. There’s a big difference between a few hours’ visit to the school and traipsing across the plains to stay in the house of a complete stranger.”

“But she’s not a stranger. She’s family.”

“No, Karen. This is not open for discussion.”

Karen took in his impassive face, as stubborn and set as ever, and clenched her teeth. Tears gathered in her eyes and spilled over. One fat drop plopped onto Aunt Hattie’s invitation. Karen folded the pages and stuffed them into the envelope to read later. “Very well.” She couldn’t keep the sound of tears out of her voice and didn’t care. She wanted him to know how much he’d hurt her. Why must she be the one to always sacrifice? “I’m going to bed.” Before she gave vent to the harsh words she wanted to hurl at him, she escaped.

❧

David pushed his forehead against the heels of his hands. He’d made her cry. Again. But couldn’t she see she asked more than he could give? A train trip? To a strange city, to a strange house? To be presented to her sole remaining family member as the cripple she’d married?